History

André Poulie -one of the two brothers who founded Fondation Theodora - had to spend a couple of months in the hospital, right after an accident he had, when he was a little boy. Back then, the encouraging visits paid by his mother on a regular basis, lightened him up and created notable change in the isolated and sad hospital life he was stuck in. Years after this experience, André came up with the idea of an institution which would have the mission of cheering up children throughout their stay in hospitals.

With this vision, André and his brother Jan Poulie, established the Fondation Theodora in 1993 in memory of their mother who had always given them lots of love and joy. Shortly after this, they hired hospital clowns who were professional artists that had been specially trained to practice their art in the particular environment of hospitals .

Alongside the classical “Dream Doctors” who have been active in hospitals since 1993, Fondation Theodora initiated the “Mr. and Ms. Dream” program in 1998, a program specially developed for disabled children.

This idea whose seeds were planted in the Pediatrics Department of the Lausanne University back then, continues to spread out on international basis today. The Dream Doctors of Fondation Theodora currently continue to be active in hospitals of eight different countries to give laughter and joy to thousands of children each year.

The Dream Doctors of Fondation Theodora currently continue to be active in hospitals of eight different countries to give laughter and joy to thousands of children each year.